Looking for Eden
by midnightzrain
Summary: It's sixth year. Harry is having mysterious, forboding dreams, Ron and Hermione are on the brink of war, and there's a sixteen year old who just got her Hogwarts letter! Could romance, friendship, and adventure bloom among these odd conditions?


Hollis-

Hollis Bradford was in shock. Just a few minutes ago she had been a (fairly) normal 15-year-old, ready to start her junior year in high school. Now, she was a foreigner in home territory, completely detached from her entire world. According to the letter she had just received, Hollis was a witch.

_Dear Miss Bradford, _

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Though you would normally attend Salem Witch's School, it is required you attend Hogwarts due to extenuating circumstances. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. _

_Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. If she stays_, _you may use the one that delivered this letter. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress _

Hollis glanced over at the tawny owl sitting on the windowsill. _What is Mom gonna say? _

As the dark settled down on the house,Hollis was thankful for the quiet presence of the owl on the windowsill. Though she hadn't been afraid of the dark for years, this whole witch deal was taking her already overactive imagination for a wild ride.

A car door slammed in the driveway. _Crap! Who's that?_ Hollis ran and peeked out the window; she saw her mother coming up to the door. _I've gotta keep my imagination from running away with me. This whole magic deal's a scam, probably just a practical joke. _Nonetheless, she couldn't help wishing she really could go off to some magical land.

Hollis ran out to help her mom with the groceries, hoping she wouldn't find the letter. _I'm such an idiot; I should have stashed the letter while I had a chance! But I didn't, cause I wanted Mom and Dad to see it and they'd help me out like the little baby I am. _

"Hollis, hun, what's this?" Mrs. Bradford called.

Hollis ran into the house. Her mom was holding the letter.

"Umm…I'm not sure. That owl brought it." Hollis said, calling attention to the tawny owl still perched on the window.

Mrs. Bradford's face, which was usually relaxed and happy, seemed to shrink into a frown. Finally, she spoke. "Well, Hollis, don't you think you should send a return owl?"

Harry- The veil waved gently, as if in a balmy tropical breeze, not noticing that Harry Potter's godfather had just fallen through it. "Sirius! Sirius, no!" 

The Boy Who Lived quickly sat up in bed, his stomach tight, covered in cold sweat. He cursed silently about Bellatrix and Voldemort for five minutes, punching his pillow.

"Haaarry!" Uncle Vernon screamed, "That blasted _owl_ of yours dropped another dead_rat_ on the doorstep this morning!"

Harry didn't bother to remind Uncle Vernon that Hedwig only ate mice. _He's let her out of her cage this summer, that's better than usual._

"Coming, Uncle Vernon!" _So much for getting an extra couple hours of sleep. _He glanced over at the clock. _Oy__, seven A.M.—you'd think he was trying to kill me! Then again, maybe he is_. Harry hopped out of bed, quickly brushed his teeth, and walked downstairs, taking pains to keep from knocking his head on the chandelier.

Harry had grown quite a bit over the summer- he was no longer the short, scrappy kid who had entered Hogwarts five years ago. He was now average height and muscular, probably from a combination of sneaking out to ride his broom at night and doing all of Aunt Petunia's chores.

An owl swooped in threw the open window and landed lightly on the kitchen table.

"Get that bloody bird out of here!" Uncle Vernon screamed. For a man who didn't want anyone to think his household was strange, Vernon Dursley could be quite loud about anything magical that occurred.

Harry continued his drowsy walk toward the kitchen and only sped up when he saw Ron's untidy scrawl on an overstuffed envelope. Inside was a headline from the Daily Prophet screaming **Fudge Resigns; New Minister's Name not yet Announced. **Harry couldn't help smiling at the thought that the hapless Fudge was gone, but was slightly apprehensive about who the new minister might be. _I bet they'll just go and pick a Voldemort supporter. They're such asses they think it would be good to get an "outsider's opinion" in the Ministry. _Shoving more cynicism from his head, Harry opened Ron's note.

_Dear Harry, _

_Mum finally said I could ask you to come to the Burrow for the rest of the summer. She said something about "giving you enough time at the Dursleys." I kept insisting you didn't want any time there, but whatever, she said it would be okay if you came now. Hermione's gonna come up maybe today or tomorrow. Mum and Dad have a lot of work to do for, well, you know, so we may be spending a lot of time at the Burrow, so I thought we could practice some Quidditch, 'specially since I've got a new move to show you. We might even be able to play a little game because 'Mione got a broom and Ginny forces me to play with her. Oh, anyway, Da managed to get a muggle car from the ministry, so we'll pick you up at 5 p.m. today (21 July). Pack all of your stuff for Hogwarts, because you'll be staying with us for the rest of the summer. _

_Ron_

_Go Canons!!!!!!!!!_

Inside the envelope was also an article saying **Canons Beat All Odds and Win Championship!**

Harry was the happiest he'd been in ages, and for a moment forgot about Sirius' death. He managed to push the thought out of his mind that Sirius' death was all his fault and prepared to pack for the Burrow.

Ron-

Ron kept glancing back and forth between the homework he was supposed to be doing and the grandfather clock ten feet away from his head. He kept willing it to have his father's name move from the "work" position to "traveling" so he could know that he'd be seeing Harry soon. _Harry was so weird after Sirius' death. I felt like he was always somewhere else. Thinking about something I could never understand. _

Ron's stomach began to tighten. He'd always wanted Harry and him to be equals, even if Harry got more attention. Things had just started to even out between them with Ron as Keeper when Sirius was killed. Now he was plunged back into that "my best friend's the savior of the wizarding world, how the heck am I supposed to live up to that?" mindset, which he suddenly realized was even more depressing than having all perfect brothers. _At least you can sock them in the nose when you felt like it and there would be no change in your relationship, only in your facial features. _

The sound of Ginny squealing pulled Ron back to reality.

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled.

Ron suddenly straightened up in his seat. _Just what I need, Hermione hanging around 'til it's time to go get Harry. She'll probably wanna come along and it'll screw everything up. _

As Hermione walked into the room, the knot in Ron's stomach suddenly gave way to the sensation that his stomach was trying out for a gymnastics squad.

"Hi Ron." Hermione glanced over at the pile of books in front of Ron and exclaimed, "You still haven't finished your homework!"

Ron finished her sentence for her, "I finished mine at the beginning of July!"

"Really Ron, it's not funny. We take NEWTS next year, and we have to choose our professions, and Vol—You-Know-Who is back in power, and…" As her lower lip began to quiver, Ron's mind started frantically racing. _She's losing it already, and she's only been here five minutes. Girls are so insane sometimes. Her face just looks so sad, I feel like I should go and put my arm around her or something. But she'd probably hate that, and she'd cry harder, and…"_

Ron was saved from his pit of indecision by Ginny. She confidently strolled into the room, but her face fell as she saw the now sobbing Hermione. Ginny quickly pulled Hermione up in the direction of the stairs. A few minutes later he heard his mum saying, "Oh, I know dear, everything will be alright," and the whistle of a teapot.

Ron felt the blood rushing to his ears. _Well, at least she isn't here to see me embarrassed. Seeing as it's my fault she's upset. _His stomach settled back into what seemed to be its favorite position nowadays—a giant knot.

Ron spent the remainder of the morning doing extraordinarily small amounts of homework and glancing at the grandfather clock. _Come on, stupid arrow, move. God, that stupid thing about the watched pot not boiling is true. Arrgh. _He finally decided to go practice Quidditch by himself, since Ginny and Hermione hadn't left Ginny's room and Fred and George weren't coming home from their now successful joke shop for another couple of days.

As he soared behind the Burrow, Ron couldn't help but feeling that he had cast off all the troubles that had been holding him down when he was on the ground. He let the wind ruffle through his hair, raised his arms, and let out a loud whoop. _I don't know how a muggle could survive without flying. It's the best feeling in the entire world, except maybe when 'Mione smiles at me. Whoa, did I just think that? Ronald, old boy, that bout in the Department of Mysteries must have messed you up worse than you think. _After that last thought, he let everything wash off of him, like a duck in the rain, and sat back to enjoy the flying.

Hermione-

Hermione couldn't believe the feeling of warmth and security that enveloped her at the Burrow. Despite the rocky start to her day, she couldn't help but feel loved by everyone in the Weasley clan. After her breakdown in the living room, she had composed herself with the help of a big hug from Mrs. Weasley and a reassurance of "everything's gonna be alright." It didn't hurt that Mrs. Weasley brewed the best chamomile tea this side of London.

"I'm glad to have you here, Hermione." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Yeah we always love to have you around,'' Ginnny added, "Especially Ron."

Hermione saw the devious smile in her friend's eye. _Why would she say that? All we do is get into rows!_ Mrs. Weasley shot Ginny a look that had the blushing Hermione doubled up in laughter. Ginny responded with a lighthearted eye roll that got even Mrs. Weasley laughing.

As Hermione recovered from her near-hysterical fate, an owl swooped through the open kitchen window that let in the sweet summer breeze. Mrs. Weasley crossed the kitchen to get the letter, and as soon as she opened it, her rosy face turned ashen.

"Girls, why don't you go unpack; I have to speak with Arthur for a moment." She said, clearly shocked by something.

"That was odd," Ginny whispered as soon as they were out of Mrs. Weasley's sight.

"I've never seen your mum like that before," Hermione replied.

"That's really reassuring, 'Mione."

"Well, I can't help it, it's strange. She looked like she had seen a ghost." Their conversation stopped as they entered Ginny's cramped room and Hermione attempted to turn the pleasantly disorganized mess into some semblance of order.


End file.
